1. Technical Field
This invention relates to devices and method for attaching tubing to a member having a passageway to communicate a fluid. More particularly, the invention relates to a system to mount a tube to a housing when the tube and the housing are composed of materials having differing thermal expansion coefficients.
2. Background Art
It is well known, and has been demonstrated, that oxygen can be removed from more complex gasses, such as air, by an electrochemical process of ionizing the oxygen molecules, transporting the oxygen ions through a solid electrolyte and reforming the oxygen molecules on an opposite electrolyte surface. An electrical potential is applied to a suitable catalyzing electrode coating applied to the surface of the electrolyte which is porous to oxygen molecules and which acts to disassociate oxygen molecules into oxygen ions at its interface with the electrolyte. The oxygen ions are transported through the electrolyte to the opposite surface, which is also coated with a catalyzing electrode and electrically charged with the opposite electrical potential that removes the excess electrons from the oxygen ions, and oxygen molecules are reformed. However, current oxygen generating systems are unable to deliver high-pressure oxygen above 1200 psi. Thus, a need exists in the art for a system and a method which provides high-pressure oxygen. Another need exists in the art for an oxygen generating system which can use contaminated air which is contaminated, for example, with biological agents or other toxic substances.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an electrochemical oxygen generating system which can provide high-pressure oxygen.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrochemical oxygen generating system which can provide oxygen at pressures up to 2000 psi.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a unique mounting and interconnection structure for supporting tubing connecting the oxygen generating modules.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of sealing a ceramic tube to a ceramic module to allow each to thermally expand and contract without cracking.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an oxygen generating system including an oven chamber having a fresh air inlet and a depleted air outlet, and having an oxygen outlet.
The proposed invention is suitable for, but is not limited to, the delivery of high purity oxygen for many medical, semiconductor and industrial applications as well as the filtration of chemical and biological agents in civil and military environments.
An attachment system for maintaining a passageway of a tube in axial alignment with a passageway through a housing includes a spring having an exterior edge and having an interior area through which the tube passes. The housing has an exterior mating surface around the passageway through the housing against which mating surface a mating end of the tube abuts. A spring retainer spaced apart from the exterior mating surface of the housing restrains the movement of the spring away from the exterior mating surface of the housing. A tubular coupler in proximity to the mating end of the tube restricts the movement of the mating end of the tube toward the interior area of the spring.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiments of the invention.